The porcelain mask
by nicolejonsson
Summary: it's been 7 long years since Erik (the phantom of the opera) lastly saw his love, the beautiful and talented Elizabeth. Erik now lives in New Orleans and lives an ordinary life, or at least as ordinary as a man with a deformed face can live, but he misses hes love and one day he meets a lost little girl about 7 years old, the girl looks a lot like Elizabeth, but who is she really?
1. Chapter 1

**hello again! this is the part 2 of Ballerina in the music box and would really love if you told me what you think of it so far! if you haven't read ballerina in the music box yet then read that first or you'll probably don't understand this story! enjoy :D **

Erik's POV

I walked down the streets of New Orleans, thinking about the past; it was now seven years since I lastly saw the love of my life; Elizabeth, the one that had shown me love and mercy, and the one whose cousin I killed and then jumped of a building for… you maybe wonder how I can still be alive? Well, there was window under the edge of the roof which I jumped into, the only reason I jumped at all was so that Elizabeth would think I'm dead and get over me… I'm a monster, a murderer and she deserves someone better… I often think about Elizabeth, where was she now? Was she happy? Myself I had fled to New Orleans America, a filthy little town; wherever you look you see thieves, prostitutes and poor people… men, women and even children sat on the streets and begged for money… I walked by a small shop also that surrounded by the beggars, I stopped in front of a little girl with long blond hair; she was curled together in a corner; shivering from the cold… I shook my head and took of my jacket and handed it to the girl, she thankfully took it and wrapped it around her small body, then I started walking again; I have had the luck to not be living on the streets and have a pretty decent job at a theater where I wrote plays; I earned much more then I needed and tried to give that to those that hadn't had my luck… it was just awful, and most of the people that actually had the money to live for tried to ignore the poor, the just walked past them without giving them a single look… I felt someone tapping me on the arm and turned around just to see a little girl, at first I thought it was the girl that I gave my jacket to but this girl was younger and her hair was curly and light brown; I looked her in the eyes, they were a deep green and watery of tears and her cheeks were rosy "I'm sorry sir, but I'm lost, please help me find home… please…" she sobbed, I looked deep into her eyes… the same green color that Elizabeth had… I sighed and nodded "where do you live?" she gave me a weak smile "in a small apartment, in a white building!" she said, I thought; a white apartment building? Was she speaking of the one on St. Charles Avenue? I asked her and she nodded, I sighed and took her small hand and he started to walk. It wasn't that far but on the whole way there was that awkward silent between us, I looked over at her; focusing on every little detail about her appearance… her slim body, the way her hair was slightly curled and her beautiful green eyes… gosh, I'm going mad, I start seeing Elizabeth everywhere! I mean, okay this child did look a little like her but it was a child for god's sake! This wasn't my love! It is just a child that happened to have similar eyes… she stopped in front of a big old house "this is it, thank you for helping me" she said and smiled at me, I nodded and was just about to leave again as she turned to me and grabbed my hand "you know… I'm sure my mother would make you a cup of coffee… if you come up with me…" she said and gave me puppy eyes, I sighed "I have to go home, I have work to do…" I said, it was a lie, I had no work to do, but I really didn't want to sit there with this girl's mother… she gave me look "you're lying, come on… please…!" she said, I had just met this girl, I didn't even know her name and now she wanted me to drink coffee with her mother?! I don't know… normally when adults see my deformed face they wanted me to stay as far away from their children… well I understand them, they are responsible for their kids and don't want anything to happen to them and my face looks a little scary… but this girl wouldn't give up and I found myself walking up the stairs after her, she was humming on a song that I swear I had heard before… but from where? The girl stopped in front of an old brown door and nocked, I just stood there and looked around; it was beautiful building, I heard a sound as the door opened and the loud voice of a woman as she saw the girl, I couldn't see the woman's face but she had a really pretty voice "oh my god Lizzie! Where have yo been! I was worried sick about you!" the woman said, I just stood there listening and wondering why I was still standing here, I had the chance to just go home and forget about all of this, but the woman's voice made me stay; it sounded so… familiar… "Sorry mom… I got lost… but this man helped me find home!" the girl said and pointed at me, the woman came out in the hall to look at the man her daughter pointed at, i looked at the woman; she was wearing a light pink dress that beautifully floated over her slim body, she had long dark brown hair that was a little wavy and she was wearing a pearl necklace, I gasped as I saw her face; full lips with a little bit of pick lipstick, nice cheekbones, a slim nose, but what really caught my attention was her eyes, her beautiful green eyes… I knew these eyes, the wildness and the freedom that sparkled in them… it was Elizabeth's eyes…

Her jaw dropped and we just stared at each other, I can't believe it! My Elizabeth! Here in America! I must be dreaming… she opened her mouth several times as if she wanted to say something but didn't know what "E- Erik…? Is it really you…?!" she whispered I nodded, she bent down and gently touched my not deformed cheek, and then… she slapped me; it didn't really hurt much but I was shocked "ah! Why did you slap me!?" I asked, she gave me an angry look "how?! How could you do this to me?! Everyone thought you were DEAD! I cried for months! You bastard!" she screamed at me, I just stood there; frozen in shook as she glared at me, and then she did something even more confusing, she bent forward and she kissed me, it was a long kiss where I mostly didn't know what to do, it was just confusing… the kiss broke and she smile at me with tears in her eyes "I knew you weren't dead…"


	2. Chapter 2

Erik's POV

I walked after Elizabeth into the small apartment, it was pretty simple and there not much furniture but I noticed a lot of boxes "I'm sorry, we just moved here and haven't gotten a chance to unpack everything…" she told me when I asked about them, she lead me into a small kitchen and told me to sit down while she made us coffee "sooo… you have a daughter? I began, it was something that I had wanted to ask her since I heard the little girl by the name Lizzie call her "mom" I was happy that she had found love again and even started a family, she took out 2 cups and poured the coffee in them "actually I have 2, twin girls, my little angels" she said and laughed, I smiled; I had missed her laugh so much… "And, the father?" I asked, her face went pale and she dropped the cups, a loud crash echoed thru the apartment as the cup hit the ground and broke into two; coffee stilling everywhere, Elizabeth wimped and bent down to clean up the mess "I'm so sorry!" she cried out, I bent down to and helped her and when we were done I helped her sit down in a chair; she had tears in her eyes "I'm so, so sorry! It… it's just I don't really want to talk about their father…" she said, thoughts were going thru my head, why? Had he hurt her? I had to know… "Elizabeth? He… he didn't hurt you… did he?" I asked, she shook her head and laughed a little "no… at least not physically… but can we please talk about something else?... please…" she said, I sighed and we instead started talking about the year we had been apart, she had become a professional ballerina and traveled the world teaching young girls; that was also why she was here in America, it's seems like the man owning the theater I wrote plays for had hired her to teach the youngest girls, but in her spear time she told me that she still enjoyed playing the violin and she actually still had the one I gave her! She also told me about her daughters, Lizzie and Abby (Abbigail) they were almost 7 years old and very talented, Lizzie had already since she was very young enjoyed to dance and draw and learned to read by the age of 3! And Abby, Elizabeth told me was a real genius when it came to music or singing, at the age of 4 she had started to play the piano, which she mastered in no time, but she had always shown an interest in things that made sounds and by the age of 6 she had started to experiment with her voice, trying different styles of singing and Elizabeth just described it as heavenly… I smiled; it sounded like she had the perfect lie that I always wanted her to have, and then I hears the sound of footsteps, Lizzie walked into the room and sat down in one of the remaining chairs "mom, Juliette called, she can't look after us today" Lizzie said to her mother ''what?! But… but I have an appointment with the owner of the theater! And I can't just take you with me!" she cried out, Lizzie looked very uninterested in the conversation and had even started to doodle on a piece of paper that was laying of the table, I looked at Elizabeth "well, if you want I can look after them…" I said and her face lit up "you would do that for me?" she said and I nodded, she bent forward and hugged me "thank you so much! I won't be gone for long!" she said thankfully and then later I found myself standing in the doorway with Lizzie watching Elizabeth leave, as she was gone I closed the door and turned to Lizzie "so… where's actually your sister?" I asked, she pointed at the stairs "upside in her room composing, she's not that social…" the little girl said and I listened closely, yes, I could hear a piano play, I decided to go upstairs and talk with Abby as she probably didn't even know I'm here. I stopped in front of a large wooden door and knocked, from inside I could hear someone playing the piano, a few notes at a time and then it stopped for a moment and a scribbling sound was heard as the person wrote down the notes. I opened the door and walked into a big room with 2 beds, on one side there was a large paint easel and a lot of books where spread out all over the floor, on the other side there was a large piano on which a tiny little girl sat turned away from me, she had stopped playing and just sat there without moving, I looked at her, I couldn't see her face but her back was very slim, almost bony, she had the same hair color as her sister but she was paler and smaller "hello" she said, Elizabeth wasn't lying, she truly had an amazing voice, I walked closer to her but she stopped me "if… if you want to come closer you must promise me to not… to not freak out… there are enough people that run away from my face and I think mother really likes you…" she said, I was a little confused but promised and she slowly turned around, I looked at her face, it was very bony, and the eyes where a little sunken in but the oddest part where the eyes themselves, the sclera (white part of eye) wasn't white, it was black and the iris had an unnaturally blue color, just like the sky, and to top it all off there was a large scar, stating on her forehead and running down over her right eye, long time we just stood there looking at each other's disfigured faces, and then she smiled at me and moved a little so that there was place for another person on the piano bench "come sit down, I want to show you something" she said and I smiled and sat down next to her. 


	3. Chapter 3

Erik's POV

This was truly incredible! This girl was so talented and smart! She played the song for me that she had been working on and was just amazing how her small fingers pressed down the notes in a fast classical song, I couldn't believe that a child had composed this! "I'm planning to make a text to sing to it too but I'm not that good at that yet… maybe you can help me?" she said and I smiled, and so we started writhing, Abby's ides where truly marvelous! And the result was just amazing! We had decided on writing an opera because she had never tried that before and I just went great, at some point even Lizzie joined us; even if she only stood there moving her lips dramatically as if she was singing opera on stage, we all had to laugh at how funny she looked, and then she decided that Abby should sing, but as I looked at Abby her face was as red as a tomato and she really didn't want to, but she accepted, _if _ Lizzie would dance, now it was Lizzie's time to blush but she accepted and went to get her ballet shoes and I had to play the piano, well, it wasn't very serious… every now and then someone stopped and started to laugh hysterically, but it was fun! And then I cooked some spaghetti… the only food I really knew how to make… and we sat down and ate

"It's sad that we missed almost 7 years with you… it was a little lonely with just mother…" Abby said while eating, Lizzie nodded in response "true, but I told you I could find him!" she said happily and took a sip of water, I looked first at Abby and then at Lizzie, I was confused "what do you mean? I've never met anyone of you but Elizabeth…" I said hoping for them to give me an explanation, and I got one… "You don't know…?" Abby said and when I shook my head she looked at her sister "he doesn't know! Why didn't you tell him!" she said angrily, by now I was even more confused "I was going to tell him when the moment was right!" Lizzie snapped back, I lifted my hand to get them to stop fighting "okay, Abby, calm down and tell me what's going on here" I said calmly, Abby opened her mouth a few times and closed it again not sure what to say, and then she sighed "ehm… how you maybe have noticed we don't have a father…" she said insecure and I nodded "well… mother couldn't get over our real father so she never got married again…" she continued, I nodded again; a little confused "yes, but what do I have to do with that?" I asked, Abby sighed again and got quiet thinking about how to say it but it was actually Lizzie who answered "you are our father." She said, my eyes went wide and my jaw dropped "this can't be… it just can't…" I whispered; more to myself then to the girls, Lizzie sighed "look, we are almost 7 and you left mother 7 years ago, we are much too smart for kids our age, she still loves you and has tons of paintings of you in her room just so that she won't forget you, she talks in her sleep, and Abby's face is deformed just like yours! What more proof do you need!" she said, I still couldn't believe it… I have kids? Me?! But it was true, her arguments where pretty good… but wouldn't Elizabeth have told me?! Or well, she got pretty upset when I mentioned the father… but me?! "but… you got lost… you didn't try to find me…" I stuttered, Lizzie shook her head "I never get lost… never, I was looking for you all around the earth, everywhere mother went to work I was looking, and then in Paris I met this woman… she said she knew you, and she told me that you were in America, so I gave shot, and found you on the street!" she said and laughed "wait, your mother came here for a job interview… how could you have chosen tha-" I began but the door flew open; reviling an angry looking Elizabeth "can you believe this! When I came there they told me that they had never written me a letter and they didn't want me to work there! And when I showed them the letter they _laughed _at me!" she said angrily as she took of her jacket, I looked over at Lizzie who gave me a smirk… she had written the letter… 


	4. Chapter 4

Erik's POV

Elizabeth came walking into the kitchen but stopped when she saw the looks we all gave her "I's something wrong?" she asked, I could see that she was very uncomfortable with the situation "_I's something wrong?!_ I don't know, I's something wrong Elizabeth?!" I said slightly irritated, if this was true I deserved too know. Elizabeth looked very confused and didn't answer me, in the corner of my eye I could see Abby taking Lizzie's hand and dragging her upstairs so that me and Elizabeth could talk. Elizabeth looked around the room searching for a clue about why I was so upset but when she couldn't find one she turned to me and sighed "I give up, just tell me what it is…" she said and I gave her a look "who Is the father Elizabeth." I commanded her too tell me, her face lost all color and she looked like she was going too faint "what…?" she mumbled, I repeated myself but I was starting to get really irritated "who is the father. I know that you know it" she just stood there and looked very helpless "the… the father?... ehm… how about some tea?" she said and took up the teapot, I sighed and shook my head, it was true… I was a father… "Elizabeth… am I the father of these girls…?" I asked, I didn't want to believe it… I wasn't really the ideal father, just look at my past! I can't even go to France anymore because I was wanted for murder and thievery! I can't have kids!

Elizabeth's eyes went big and she got even paler "what..?!" she said, by now I had lost my temper and I just felt irritated and tired "AM I THE FATHER OR NOT!?" I screamed at her, she rigged back and looked down in the ground "yes…" she whispered, so quite you could barely hear it but the word echoed in my mind, I was a father of 2 girls… I had missed 7 years with them and I had left Elizabeth under the time she needed me the most… and then a picture appeared in my mind; me and Elizabeth, living in a house by the sea and raising the girls… I had always dreamt of starting a family but had never even come close to something like that… women didn't really like me… Elizabeth was the first one who hadn't judged me for my appearance… "Why didn't you tell me…?" I said still shocked "I'm… I'm sorry… I didn't think you would believe me…" she started and looked me in the eyes "but Erik, I have to know… know if you'll accept the role as a father, because if not… I… I want you to leave me and the girls alone… I cannot put them thru this, knowing that their father is alive but doesn't want to be there for them…" she mumbled and looked ashamed, I understood what she meant; having a father and losing him or knowing he doesn't love you is the worst thing there is… "I… I will be there for them… if you let me…" I said and looked her deep in the eyes, those green eyes I've missed so much… but they were wet from tears… I was confused but then she smiled and ran over and hugged me "thank you…"

And so, my life as a father began, I saw the girls more often and spent time with them while Elizabeth was looking for a job, I had missed 7 years with Abbigail and Lizzie and I was determined on being a good father. But between me and Elizabeth… well, even if we both still loved each other it can't just be like it was before, I had left her to take care of 2 kids all by herself and that can't just be forgotten… but otherwise it was all good. And so early one morning I walked up the stairs to their small apartment; it had been several weeks since I walked up these stairs the first time and then got to know about Abbigail and Lizzie but I still couldn't really understand that I was actually the father to 2 lovely girls… I knocked on the door and heard Elizabeth rush too open, she had a job interview and I was going to look after the girls. Elizabeth opened the door and pulled me inside "thanks god you're here! I'm already late!" she cried out while putting up her hair into a ponytail "food is in the fridge, oh, and… Verena, Rosie and David are coming to town later… and I promised them that they could come over and see the girls… I'm sorry…" she said ashamed, I smiled "your cousin? It's been forever! I'd love to have them here!" I said and she smiled and gave me a kiss on the cheek and then she was gone. I turned and walked up the stairs to wake up the girls who were still sleeping; I knocked on their door and smiled as I heard them sigh from inside, I opened the door and walked inside "wake up sweethearts, it's morning" I said and laughed at how tired they looked; they didn't really like mornings


	5. Chapter 5

I walked down to the kitchen to make them some breakfast as I noticed something, a photo of Abby and Lizzie when they were younger; with pigtails in their hair and fluffy dresses, they looked really cute… I wish I had always been there for them… I maybe wasn't the ideal father for two girls but I tried my best… Abbigail walked into the kitchen, still in her pajamas and sat down by the table, I smiled at her, she looked very tired and her eyes where just half open "sooo… pigtails… how cute" I said and smirked, she looked up at the picture I was holding "I was 5 okay! Mom forced me…" she said and blushed, I heard footsteps and turned around to see Lizzie happily dancing into the kitchen, she was already dressed, in a simple brown dress with long sleeves and a white collar, and her hair was put up into two long pigtails, I had to smile, though Abby and Lizzie looked almost identical they were as different as two people can be. Abby was already really mature for her age, she was strict and she liked to have everything under control and does nothing without second thought, she wasn't too open to strangers and had many secretes, Lizzie on the other hand was childish and liked to have fun, she was that kind of person who could just suddenly have a crazy idea and when she put something on her mind she never failed to get what she wanted…

Someone nocked on the door and Lizzie ran to open with a big smile on her lips, how could she already be so alert? She just woke up!

"It's David… I think she has a crush on him…" Abbigail said while eating the last bit of her bread "no I don't! I just haven't seen them in a while!" Lizzie screamed at her sister who just smiled "whatever you say dear sister!" she said and laughed, a moment later I heard the door open and voices talking and then Lizzie came back into the kitchen followed by an older girl, 16 or 17 maybe? And a boy who looked to be 1 or 2 years older than Lizzie and Abbigail. I knew the girl… the pale skin, light blond hair and the bright blue eyes, it was Rosie; she had grown a lot since I saw her the last time, she wasn't that young child anymore that I had meet in Venice… and the boy must be David… I had only seen him when he was still a toddler and he had grown so much but he still somehow looked the same… the boy sat down by the table and gave Abbigail a quick hug before starting a conversation with Lizzie, he didn't look at me a single time, either he hadn't seen me or he simply didn't care, the girl otherwise just stood there looking at me, not talking, just looking as if she was thinking who I could possibly be, and then her face lit up and she ran over and hugged me

"Erik! It's been so long! I almost didn't recognize you!" she said and laughed, when she finally let go I smiled at her "7 years… how have you been? You have grown a lot!" I said, she smiled and we started talking about live, how I apparently was the father of Abbigail and Lizzie, and about where I had been, and she told me about her life, it was actually quite interesting, she worked at a little shop back in Italy and with great excitement she also showed me her tinny left hand on which she had a little silver ring, an engagement ring…

"Wait, you are getting married?! But… you're still so young!" I said shocked, she was still a child! "I'm not _that_ young! I turn 18 years old in only 2 months! And he's a really nice guy, I think you'd like him" she said while twisting one of her blond curls between her fingers, I just stared at her, when someone knocked on the door again, this time it was me who went to open the door. There stood a short woman, she looked pretty exhausted as if she hadn't slept for a long time, but she still smiled at me "ah, hello Erik, Eliza told me you'd be here, it's nice to see you again! How is life as a parent?" she said and gave me a hug "hello Verena, it's nice to see you to! And well, honestly, being a father is easier than I thought!" I said and gave her a smile; she laughed "you never had to take care of an infant! Just wait till you and Elizabeth get more kids! Then you'll respect me as and alone mother!" she said and walked into the kitchen, se too sat down by the dinner table next to her son, she and Abbigail started a conversation and I just sat there, drifting of in my own thoughts as I suddenly noticed something, there was still someone missing… I turned to Verena "where is actually Tanya?" I asked, the smile on her face faded away and was replaced by a sad look in her eyes. I shook my head "no, she isn't… she can't be…" I mumbled more to myself then to anyone else in the room trying to convince myself that it couldn't be, Tanya couldn't be dead…


	6. Chapter 6

"Oh no! Of course not! No, Tanya is alive… she just doesn't live with us anymore…" Verena said and I relaxed again "but why not? I taught you had adopted her?" I asked her, she shook her head "turns out we only were a foster home, her real mother wanted her back…" she explained and I gave her a confused look "I don't see the problem… isn't it good that she gets to be with her real family?" I asked, she nodded slightly "I guess… I just miss her a lot…" she said and gave me a little sad smile, before I could answer Lizzie ran over to me and hugged me "daddy! Can we please go shopping with Rosie, Verena and David? _Please…"_ she asked and jumped a little of excitement "shopping? Why on earth do you want to go shopping?" I asked and she smiled "I always go shopping with Rosie when she's here! She has a really good taste of fashion!" she said and I gave Rosie a confused look "Rosie? A good taste of fashion?" I asked remembering the awful pink princess dress I had been forced to buy her only 7 years ago… she giggled "I'm not 11 anymore! I know what looks good and what doesn't…" she said and I had to give in, so I turned to Abby, who had been sitting there quiet the whole time "you are coming too, right?" I asked, but she just looked at me in horror "_what_? Me? Out there? No thanks…" she said "why not? It could be fun" I tried to convince her but she just gave me a look "_why?_ Do I even have to explain…" she said and stared at me "hey, my face is deformed too, but I'm out in public all the time!" I said, she just shook her head "at least you look _human_! I look like a freaking skeleton with demon eyes!" she cried out, I shook my head "it's not _that_ bad…" I said trying to comfort her, but she just glared at me…

"I can't believe I'm doing this…" Abbigail mumbled and pulled down the hood of her cape even more, we had somehow managed to get her out of the apartment but she had insisted on wearing a long-sleeved dress and a dark blue cape, I just let her do it and just tried to be happy to get her out on the street. And so it came that I went shopping that day… or well, got to pay for everything Lizzie bought, and then carry it… and I'm not speaking of a few things, no, several bags… why are all women like that? Or almost all; Abby was just following after us without any at all interest in anything in the many stores; it was first when we walked by a little market that she stopped.

"Father? Can I have something, too? She asked me and I nodded "of course, if your sister gets something then you should get something too" I said and she lead me off to a little stand and pointed at an object, taking a closer look I saw that it was a mask, a simple, white, full face mask; one of these people wear at masquerades, but the odd thing was that it was completely made out of porcelain, a rather unsuitable material because of its weight and how easy it breaks… "A mask? Why would you possibly want a mask? Trust me, I've been wearing one most of my life, and it's nothing good about it… it just made me feel even more like an outcast…" I insisted, but she wouldn't change her mind so I was forced to buy it for her, and as soon as she had it, she put it on and went back to being quiet and just slowly walking a bit behind us. Lizzie who had been the one who lead us from store to store ran back to Abbigail and took her hand "come on Abby! I found a necklace that would be beautiful on you!" Lizzie said and dragged a protesting Abbigail with her back to the front of the group and into a small store. Verena, Rosie and David had stopped by a shop selling cakes and other sweets, and I found interest in a book store. It wasn't long till the two girls came back, Lizzie was smiling and in one hand she held Abbigail's mask which apparently she had stolen and now refused to give back, and Abbigail glared at her sister, once again hidden under her hood. But both of them were wearing new matching necklaces; a silver chain with a small, blue gemstone dangling from it, simple but very beautiful

"Look daddy! Aren't the pretty! And their matching so now we have the same looking necklaces!" Lizzie said and showed me her necklace "yes very pretty dear" I said and gave her a smile, Abby came up to us and yanked back her mask "can we go home now?" Abby said, but Lizzie shock her head before I was able to answer "no, there is one more place I want to go… daddy? I mean… your job isn't that far away and I'd LOVE to see the theater! _Please_…" Lizzie begged and hugged me, I was a little overwhelmed but nodded and our little group began walking towards the big theater.


	7. Chapter 7

The theater was a big building in the center of the town, it was very well known for its actors and dancers. Many great ballerinas and singers work there and the owners made a great deal of money. It was always a huge drama going on in there; the kind of drama one could only find among actors…

As soon as I opened the door I was welcomed by the well-known sound of the corps de ballet, like always fighting over something that probably was just very stupid and unimportant. Angelica; one of the lead actresses was running after the young girls trying to solve the problem but the ballerinas just ignored her and continued screaming. Angelica just sighed and fell together on the floor; pretending to faint, it worked; the girls stooped fighting and ran over to check if she was okay, to that Angelica just smiled, happy to finally have gotten their attention.

"Finally! Now, can someone tell me what is going on! Where is Sophia?!" Sophia was the lead ballerina and since the last ballet teacher quit she's been the one teaching them. She was older than the rest of ballerinas, already around thirty but she was very good, but today it seems she'd been missing. The ballerinas just shook their heads and went back to fighting. Angelica sighed and walked away as she caught sight of us "oh, hello Erik! I thought you had taken the day off? Anyways, it's nice to see you! Have you seen Sophia? She's been gone all day and I don't have time for this drama! And… oh! Who are these little cuties!" she said and bent down to take a closer look at the three children in our group, David, Abby and Lizzie. Abby shrank back a little but David and Lizzie didn't care, Lizzie even smiled happily and introduced them "I'm Lizzie, this is David and the girl back there in the mask is my twin sister Abbigail" Angelica giggled and bowed to the little girl "It's a pleasure to meet you, little miss Lizzie! Say, do you like acting?" she asked and Lizzies face light up "oh! I've never tried it! I'd love to try it! Theater has always fascinated me and someday I want to become an actress. Well, that or a ballerina like mommy…" Lizzie said and looked over at the young ballerinas who had stopped fighting and now where gigging and talking to each other "is your mother good at ballet?" Angelica asked and Lizzie turned to her again and smiled "oh, she's the best! But she was a lack of passion… she says ballet traps her… like in a box! Keeps her from doing what she likes…" Lizzie said and I had to agree; that sounded like something Elizabeth would say…

"Really? Well, I'm sure she's really good… But if you want I can show you the theater, there are some really interesting people here that I'm sure you'll like!" Angelica smiled and took Lizzies hand; Lizzie turned and looked at me "daddy? Can I go? And can David, Rosie and Abby come, too?" she asked and when I nodded she took Davids hand they walked off, Rosie following. But Abby didn't move.

"I don't want too…" that was her only explanation and then she went back to being quiet and shy, I just shook my head and turned to Verena "so, what do you wish to see first?" she thought for a moment and then smiled and looked at Abby who stood behind me holding my hand "how about you introduce us to the prima donna? I heard she is very talented!" she said and I could see Abbigail's face light up a little, I smiled at Verena and nodded, I knew that she had suggested that because she wanted to make Abby happy so we stared walking thru the crowd towards La Maria's room.


	8. Chapter 8

**authors note:**** just a short chapter for now, i'm soon going to be in Germany for a few weeks and then i wont be able to upload. but i'll keep on writing and will upload when i came back! hope you enjoy the chapter and sorry for leaving you at such an interesting point! :) haha i'm evil!**

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Elizabeth's POV

My life had changed a lot since Erik came back, both to the better and the worse; he made me and our daughters happy and I had missed him a lot, but I haven't been able to spend much time with them… I had been looking for a job the whole time… America hadn't brought any luck for me… and the truth is; I had to leave, I was broke… I couldn't afford staying here and I was already in a deep depth. When Erik left it all went downhill for me, I was depressed and lonely and every time I tried fixing things it only got worse, I had no job and then when it turned out that I was pregnant I didn't know what to do anymore… I love my girls more than anything but finding out that you are pregnant with twins while not having a job and thinking that the father committed first murder and then suicide… I borrowed money… I had to… and now I had to pay it back, I'm sure Erik would help me if I'd ask him but I couldn't… it was my problem and I didn't want to worry him… but now it was all lost, in two days a ship would take us back to Italy… there I'd hopefully find a proper job… I had too… I don't know what would happen otherwise…

I walked down the streets toward the big apartment house, this day hadn't brought any more luck with it and I had been forced to go back home. I felt bad for doing this to my kids, but I couldn't tell Erik, I was too ashamed… we had to leave without him realizing anything… I started to feel cold tears slowly running down my cheeks, I told myself that it was fine but I knew it wasn't, all their lives Abby and Lizzie had to live almost poor, I had never really been able to buy them anything and even the apartment we stayed in was being paid by Verena… she had helped me a lot thru the whole time and it was in fact she who had to pay for my mistakes… only because I was so dumb to borrow money from the wrong people… the truth is, Verena was only here to help me move…

I opened the door to the apartment only to find that it was empty, I looked around and found a small note in Erik's handwriting: _at the market, coming home soon. _I sighed and sat down in a kitchen chair, I would miss him so much… but I had to go, had to make money and that fast…

Erik's POV

Maria was a young soprano from Germany, she had come here poor, alone and helpless as a little girl and the manager had adopted her and since then she had become rather good at sing opera. She was very nice and even said that Abby could try singing on stage if she wanted to, but Abby refused to take the mask of and she couldn't sing with it on. But I think she had fun anyways. I heard a voice coming from behind and saw Lizzie running towards us "Abby! Come! You have to see this! It's amazing!" she said and ran over to Abbigail. She looked very excited and took Abby's right hand and started dragging her away, Abbigail protested but gave up and let Lizzie drag her, I only looked after them a little confused and then started talking to Verena again. And sadly we were too far away to hear Lizzie scream…

Lizzie's POV

I ran down the hallway with my sister toward my discovery, I stopped at a small wooden door and opened it with a smile at Abbigail; it was the door to a small rose garden behind the Theater. It smelled lonely and it looked incredibly beautiful with all the red, white and pink roses. I looked over at Abbigail only to see her (finally) take of the mask and enjoying the surrounding, she was smiling to, I knew how much she loved roses just like mother, it was their favorite flowers and I thought Abby could be happy if I showed her the little garden and apparently I was right. She slowly walked towards a big rosebush with deep red roses, almost as dark as blood. There she stood, concentrating on nothing other than the roses, so deep in thought that she didn't even realize the door slamming open and a big man walking in, I jumped in shock and he gave me a pathetic smile "ah, now I got you" he walked towards me and was just about to grab me and take me away as Abby (wearing mask again) stepped on his foot leaving the man standing there shocked.

"LEAVE. MY. SISTER." She said but the man didn't seem to care and only walked right past her, but Abbigail quickly jumped in front of me and roughly pushed me aside, I screamed but then my head hit the ground and I only remember an awful pain and then everything went pitch black…


	9. Chapter 9

**in Germany, very pretty here, found internet, battery is dying... enjoy! **

Lizzie's POV

I woke up in a hospital bed the next morning with no idea what had happened, my head was pounding and I could hear a women's desperate cries and a man trying to calm her from outside the room. My head was hurting and I was a bit dizzy and felt like puking, what had happened? I couldn't remember anything of the last day and didn't know how I got here. But it seems like I've been unconscious for a while…

I tried to get up but everything was spinning and with a shriek I fell back down, _stupid head... _the woman had stopped crying and was now running towards my room, the door opened and my mother gave me a sad smile "oh thank god…" she rushed over to the bed and hugged me tightly "mom… what happened…?" I asked as my father walked into the room smiling at me. But I noticed that he somehow looked sad…

"You had a concussion… you hit your head in the floor… are you okay dear?" he asked me and I nodded slightly "my head hurts…" I answered as my mother let go of me and looked me deep into the eyes… "Poor thing… I'm so sorry that this happened! It is all my fault… and now Abby is gone to a- and…! Oh, god help me!" she cried out and rushed over to father, who hugged her tightly, I gave them a confused look "Abby? Who's Abby…?" I asked and they both hesitantly turned around and stared at me, both jaw dropping and looking worried and confused as a doctor suddenly entered the room "a light amnesia… hopefully she'll remember again soon… otherwise she could have it forever…" he said and I stared at him, amnesia? Who? Me?!

"L-Lizzie…? You… really don't remember Abbigail…?" mother asked and I shook my head, and my mother did what probably most women had done in her situation; she fainted…

_Nine years later_

Many years had passed since my concussion and the day Abby disappeared but I still couldn't remember anything of that it… my parents had tried to get me to remember Abbigail again but it hadn't done much good, I knew she was my sister and I remember some things we did together, but Abby herself was just gone… it was painful… everyone that doesn't have a twin won't understand my suffering… it was as if my other half was missing… I felt incomplete and lonely… and that I couldn't remember her just made it worse… no one can say for sure why I remember almost everything else but 7 years with my sister are just swiped away…

I opened the door to the small house by the sea and walked inside, this was my parents dream house. We had moved here short after the accident and a lot had changed since then, like that they had come together again and finally gotten married! Oh, and I had gotten a little sister, her name is Alysa and she is this summer turning 6 years old. She is a real cutie! But she hasn't, as long as we know gotten any real talents.

I walked into the kitchen where my mother was cooking dinner and my sister was drawing something "hi mom! What are you making?" I asked, my mother looked at me and was just about to answer but Alysa was faster "SPAGHETTI!" she said and smiled, she loved spaghetti and it was probably her idea to eat it today… "That's nice! Hey Alysa? You want to go down to the beach later? It really hot today…" I asked and she nodded happily and then went back to drawing. I walked up stairs into my parent's room where my father was playing the piano. I opened the door and smiled at him, he smiled back. "Hello honey! How was the ballet lesson?" he asked me as I sat down on the bed, I smiled. I had just come home from today's lesson and had interesting news. I, other than most of the copse the ballet I did not really live at the opera. My mother had insisted that I would at least come home every weekend, I knew exactly that it was because she was scared that I would disappear too, even if we didn't even live in America anymore and I dough that they would come here to Italy. But I had agreed as I knew how hard it was for her to have lost a daughter…

"It was nice, even if Diane was hard on us again… she really has to calm down… but I have something interesting to tell you!" I said and he smiled "really? What?" he asked and looked me in the eyes "you know how there will be a performance of Swan lake in a few months?" I asked and he nodded "I got to dance as the main role!" I said happily and we gave me a big smile, he knew exactly how much I wanted the role "that's nice dear! Have you told your mother?" he asked and I shook my head "no, I thought it'd be fun to surprise her when she comes to the play… the thing is just that I have to be at the opera more often now and I'm scared that she would be angry…" I said and he shook his head "we make up a lie… I'm sure she won't mind, but I'm really happy for you!" he said and hugged me, I hugged him back "thanks dad!" I said.

I walked out of the room again and into my own, it was a really big room with a large mirror on one wall and it was decorated with pink and white plastic roses. I love the room; it had everything I needed to practice. I did what I usually do when I come home; fell down on the bed and just relaxed and thought about the day, I had been so happy when Diane had come to me and asked if I wanted the role, the white swan was every ballerinas dream role and I had gotten it! Already since my first day at the opera here in Venice I had wanted to someday be the role, and now, nearly 9 years later I finally did it! But I was very nervous, it's not like I had never danced on stage before, and I had already many times gotten the main role in different ballets, but this was big! What if I'd trip on Edwin's foot?!

Oh, and Edwin is my dance partner, he's been dancing a few years longer than me and he was very talented! I had been working with him for a while now and had really gotten to know him, he was very nice and funny and I had gotten very happy when I heard that he got the role as the prince. I always worked best with him, he was the same age as me and we often meet outside of the opera to talk strategies, and over the last year I had fallen a little in love with him, but he doesn't know that…

It knocked on the door and my sister opened, I smiled at her "hi sweetie! Is dinner ready?" I asked and she nodded with a smile on her lips, I stood up and followed to the kitchen where everyone was already waiting. I sat down next to my little sister and took some food and poured water into my glass. "So Lizzie, I forgot to ask how your day was, did you have fun?" my mother asked and I nodded, she smiled and took a bite of her food. I can't wait till she realizes that it's me playing the main role! I ate my food and then me and Alysa ran outside on the beach while our parents stood in the door and watched us play.

Elizabeth's POV

We stood a long time and just watched our daughters play with their feet in the warm water just like me and my siblings used to do when I was younger, this house even happened to be the same house, when I found out that they had rebuilt it I was very excited, this house had given me so many great memories and I always knew that this was where I wanted to raise my family… till now only 2 of our kids had lived here but that would soon change…

"You think we should have told them?" I asked and looked at Erik; he smiled "no, having a little secret is always nice… we tell them another time, if they don't find out by themselves…" he said and hugged me tightly, I smiled and looked into he's gorgeous blue eyes, every time I looked into those eyes I fell more in love with him, he bent down and kissed me, when the kiss broke he lifted up my chin and looked me in the eyes with a smile "you have made me the happiest man on earth and I want to thank you for that… you gave me more than I could ever expect… I love you Elizabeth" he said and I smiled at him, and then I got an idea, it was already dark outside and the stars where peeking thru, it was a chilly night. Perfect to sit with a blanket and watch the stars "Hey, could you go get my old violin and a few blankets?" I asked him and he smiled a little and then did as I asked without asking any questions. I walked down to the beach and called for my daughters, I told them about my idea and they happily agreed ad when Erik came back we spread out two of the blanket on the sand and lay down watching the sky, at some point I took the violin, sat up and started to play a lullaby, Alysa fell asleep on the blanked and Erik covered her small body with another blanket, Lizzie also took one but she didn't fall asleep, she just laid there and watched the stars shine on the dark sky. I stopped playing and looked over at Erik only to find that he had fallen asleep next to our youngest daughter. I smiled and looked over at Lizzie who shared a blanket with me, she was still awake and in shook I realized that she looked sad "Lizzie? Are you okay?" I whispered so I wouldn't wake up Erik and Alysa, she came back out of deep thoughts and looked at me "yeah… just thinking…" she whispered back and looked me in the eyes and I saw that her eyes where shinny of tears… I froze, I knew exactly who she thought about and it made me sad to see how much she missed her, I missed Abbigail too, but it was almost harder for Lizzie "about Abbigail? I miss her too but let's just forget about that for now and be happy, okay?" I said with a little sad tone and looked down on the ground. The memory was too painful... and it was my entire fault… I shouldn't have borrowed money… she shook her head "mom, she isn't dead… I can still feel that she is alive… she is somewhere out there…" she whispered and looked at the sky again, I shook my head with tears in my eyes "and what if she isn't?! What if I get back hope that she isn't dead and then just get my heart broken again?! Lizzie… I can't risk that… it's been 9 years…" I said a little angry and then I sighed, regretting to have talked to her like that, but she sighed too and nodded, after that we didn't talk about her anymore. I took my violin again and continued playing a little, but it had become colder and I soon stopped and being too tired to wake everyone and bring them inside I just cuddled together with my daughter and soon fell asleep too…


End file.
